Two Reasons

October 30, 2013 at 6:18 pm | Posted in Christianity | Leave a comment
Tags: , , ,

I’ve been thinking today and wonder if I haven’t found two reasons the church in America looks like it does. Both reasons go hand in hand and seem to be becoming the norm across the nation.

The first reason is a disregard for the Word of God. For some, this is apathy period. They don’t read it, they don’t study it, and they don’t care. But they still call themselves Christians. It seems that their church membership/attendance and the menial “outreach” events they participate in are enough. While this may be a large group, I don’t think that it’s the biggest group. That moniker goes to the group made of those who “study” scripture but don’t live by it. They do read it and they do study it (even to the point of looking at Greek and Hebrew!) and yet, their lives don’t reflect that. Some even go so far as to boast and brag about their studies or look for ways to show off their quickly learned “wisdom”, but those verses have done nothing to actually impact them or change them. Scripture says “Do not lie”, but in action or deed many professing Christians do just that. Ananias and Sapphira died because of only ONE LIE. They sit under teaching that is more about social justice or community agenda (we have to knock on doors and have all these different events!) but there is nothing in the teaching to drive those same Christians to the cross or to understand themselves and others the way scripture portrays them. Continue Reading Two Reasons…

Fear and Anxiety

October 18, 2013 at 8:57 pm | Posted in Christianity | Leave a comment
Tags: , , ,

With the constant threat of a government shutdown, a default on payments, or any other crisis the U.S. government can manufacture lurking around every corner, it is really easy to be concerned, fearful, or anxious about the future. Even without the manufactured crises, the state of the economy, the lack of jobs, the growing debt, and the rise of crime are just as scary. It seems that there are no end to the number of new (and existing) pills and medications coming out to combat stress. Continue Reading Fear and Anxiety…

The King’s Pride

October 15, 2013 at 7:42 pm | Posted in Christianity | Leave a comment
Tags: , ,

Nebuchadnezzar was the king of the greatest nation on the planet at the time. He had hanging gardens and a 90 ft tall golden statue of himself. One night, the king had a dream that none of his magicians could interpret. When he called on Daniel to help him understand the dream of the chopping down of the large, beautiful, fruitful tree; Daniel responds fearfully:

The tree that you saw, which became large and grew strong, whose height reached to the sky and was visible to all the earth and whose foliage was beautiful and its fruit abundant, and in which was food for all, under which the beasts of the field dwelt and in whose branches the birds of the sky lodged–it is you, O king; for you have become great and grown strong, and your majesty has become great and reached to the sky and your dominion to the end of the earth.’In that the king saw an angelic watcher, a holy one, descending from heaven and saying, “Chop down the tree and destroy it; yet leave the stump with its roots in the ground, but with a band of iron and bronze around it in the new grass of the field, and let him be drenched with the dew of heaven, and let him share with the beasts of the field until seven periods of time pass over him,”this is the interpretation, O king, and this is the decree of the Most High, which has come upon my lord the king:that you be driven away from mankind and your dwelling place be with the beasts of the field, and you be given grass to eat like cattle and be drenched with the dew of heaven; and seven periods of time will pass over you, until you recognize that the Most High is ruler over the realm of mankind and bestows it on whomever He wishes. (Dan 4:20-25)

Even with the foreknowledge that this would happen, it doesn’t change the outcome or God’s decree:

Twelve months later he was walking on the roof of the royal palace of Babylon. “The king reflected and said, ‘Is this not Babylon the great, which I myself have built as a royal residence by the might of my power and for the glory of my majesty?’ “While the word was in the king’s mouth, a voice came from heaven, saying, ‘King Nebuchadnezzar, to you it is declared: sovereignty has been removed from you, and you will be driven away from mankind, and your dwelling place will be with the beasts of the field. You will be given grass to eat like cattle, and seven periods of time will pass over you until you recognize that the Most High is ruler over the realm of mankind and bestows it on whomever He wishes.’ “Immediately the word concerning Nebuchadnezzar was fulfilled; and he was driven away from mankind and began eating grass like cattle, and his body was drenched with the dew of heaven until his hair had grown like eagles’ feathers and his nails like birds’ claws. “But at the end of that period, I, Nebuchadnezzar, raised my eyes toward heaven and my reason returned to me, and I blessed the Most High and praised and honored Him who lives forever; For His dominion is an everlasting dominion, And His kingdom endures from generation to generation. (Dan 4:29-34)

After the time was completed, the king was restored. This was his response: “Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise, exalt and honor the King of heaven, for all His works are true and His ways just, and He is able to humble those who walk in pride.” (Dan 4:37)

It took God bringing the king to the point where he was a wild beast before he was humble enough to acknowledge God and His sovereignty. Will your pride lead you into the same situation? Nebuchadnezzar had built a great kingdom and he attributed all to himself. He took the glory of God for himself and took for granted God’s grace and mercy. Will you allow your pride to do the same to you? Will you steal the glory of God for your own? Will you ignore or deny the things that have happened in your life to bring God glory in order to make it your own? Maybe it’s not a kingdom that you’re claiming. Maybe it’s a status that you’ve achieved. Maybe it’s prestige or fame or an idol. Maybe it’s an image you’ve made for yourself. Is your own glory worth more than God’s? Will you allow your pride to bring you low? What will God have to do to humble you? Will you not hear the warning of Daniel and break away from your sins? Will you repent of your sins while there’s still time?


Entries and comments feeds.